- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Thu, 03 Jul 2025 03:00 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
To safeguard children's health, the weight of school bags must not exceed 10 per cent of a student's body weight, as per guidelines under the National Education Policy (NEP). Kendriya Vidyalayas across the Lucknow Division have begun implementing this directive, urging teachers and parents to ensure that children carry only essential books and materials in their bags.
The initiative is based on the School Bag Policy 2020 issued by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), which outlines class-wise recommendations for ideal bag weight, factoring in students’ average body weight.
As per the policy:
-Pre-primary children (10–16 kg): No bags required.
-Classes 1–2 (16–22 kg): 1.6 to 2.2 kg bag weight.
-Classes 3–5 (17–25 kg): 1.7 to 2.5 kg.
-Classes 6–7 (20–30 kg): 2 to 3 kg.
-Class 8 (25–40 kg): 2.5 to 4 kg.
-Classes 9–10 (25–45 kg): 2.5 to 4.5 kg.
-Classes 11–12 (35–50 kg): 3.5 to 5 kg.
The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) has instructed its schools to actively monitor school bag weight and promote practices that reduce unnecessary load. Teachers and parents are being encouraged to check bags regularly and ensure adherence to the policy.
The NCERT has emphasised that schools should not impose unnecessary academic burden and must cooperate in implementing the standards. Suggestions include designing timetables that limit the number of subjects per day and reducing non-essential items in students’ bags.
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Anil Agarwal, State President of the Uttar Pradesh Unaided School Association, welcomed the policy but pointed out that the actual weight often increases due to students carrying additional items. He suggested that private schools could implement class-wise timetables to manage bag weight effectively.
Authorities hope that with stricter monitoring and cooperation from school staff and parents, this move will contribute significantly to the well-being and comfort of students.
